World Cup 2026: The Big Kick-Off – when are Palace’s players involved?

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It’s finally here. The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway on when co-hosts Mexico play South Africa in the opening game on Thursday night (20:00 BST), in a repeat of the 2010 curtain-raiser.

It is the first of a record 104 matches at this World Cup, due to the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.

With 13 of our players involved, there’s more scope for Palace-related storylines than at any other major international tournament in history.

With the big kick-off upon us here’s a World Cup guide – South London-style – that gives you everything you need to know…

What is the format?

For the first time in history, the World Cup will be contested by 48 teams. The expansion is helped by a record 16 venues, with USA, Mexico and Canada sharing co-host duties.

11 cities from USA will host matches, three from Mexico and two from Canada.

The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to a new round of 32.

From that point on it is straight knockout.

From the quarter-final stage onwards the US hosts every game, with the Final taking place in New Jersey/New York Stadium, normally known as MetLife Stadium, on Sunday, 19th July.

Which Groups feature Palace players?

Nine of the twelve groups contain nations that have Palace players in their squads.

Groups B, C, D, E, F, H, I, K, and finally L, are all ones to watch.

Group B

Co-hosts Canada are in Group B who have included Palace ‘keeper Owen Goodman in their final squad.

Goodman is yet to play at senior level for his country, who face Bosnia, Qatar and Switzerland.

With third place potentially progressing, the co-hosts will be looking to reach the knockout round for the first time.

Group C

Chadi Riad and Morocco can be found in an intriguing looking Group C, alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.

The reigning AFCON champions have a tough looking first fixture against the five-time winners.

But after reaching the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago, Morocco will be looking for another deep run.

Group D

Chris Richards will have the chance to play for his country on home soil at a World Cup, with USA drawn in Group D at the Finals.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be aiming to match their run to the last eight in 2002 with the home advantage and will start off by meeting Paraguay in their first game in New Jersey.

They then face Australia and Türkiye to round out the group stage.

Group E

Here is where we find Ivory Coast and Palace’s on-loan forward Evann Guessand.

Guessand’s team open up against Ecuador, before then facing four-time winners Germany.

They close out against tournament debutants Curacao in Philadelphia.

Group F

Japan have included Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada in their squad who is coming into the Finals one cap short of reaching 50.

The four-time Asian Cup winners are looking to reach the quarter-finals for the first time – having been knocked out in the Round of 16 on four previous occasions.

They will face Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F.

Group H

Yéremy Pino will take part in his first World Cup Finals, as part of Spain’s 26-man squad.

The 2010 winners and current European Champions haven’t got past the last 16 in the last two tournaments but will be looking to go further in North America.

Spain are alongside tournament debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, with their final game against the South American side.

Group I

Group I has the most Palace representation, with four of our first team all involved. 2022 finalists France will be able to call upon both Maxence Lacroix and Jean-Philippe Mateta as they go in search of a third star.

In their first game they face Senegal, who will be fired by Palace’s top goalscorer from 2025/26, Ismaïla Sarr.

Then we have Norway and Jørgen Strand Larsen as the third team in Group I. Norway face Senegal on matchday two and France on matchday three. Former Asian Cup winners Iraq make up the group, for their first World Cup finals appearance since 1986.

Group K

Palace duo Daniel Muñoz and Jefferson Lerma are in Group K, hoping to push Colombia to the knockout stage.

They open up with a game against newcomers Uzbekistan. Then it’s a meeting with DR Congo and finally Portugal in Miami on the final day of the group stages.

Group L

The final group of the first round includes Euro 2024 finalists England. And, as he was in Germany at the Euros two years ago, Dean Henderson is included the Three Lions squad.

It will be the first time the Palace skipper has experienced a World Cup Finals. England open up against Croatia in a rematch of the 2018 semi-final.

Thomas Tuchel’s side then face Ghana in Boston, before rounding things off against Panama.

Familiar faces

There are plenty of other Palace connections to look out for in North America throughout the next five weeks.

Australia will be one team to follow, led by two former Palace heroes on the touchline. Former defender Tony Popovic is the Socceroos Manager, with ex-Eagles' captain Mile Jedinak one of his trusted coaches.

Jedinak memorably became the first active Palace player to score in a World Cup Finals back in 2014, when scoring for Australia in a thrilling 3-2 defeat to the Netherlands.

On the playing side, several former Eagles will be looking to go far in the tournament. They include Michael Olise, who has become an key man for a heavily stacked France squad in recent times. The French go into the tournament as one of the favourites to go all the way.

Former Palace skipper Marc Guéhi is likely to be England’s first-choice centre-back. It will be Guéhi’s second major tournament after playing a key role in the Three Lions run to the final at the last European Championships in 2024.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set to be an important player for DR Congo in Group K, with the The Leopards making their first appearance since the 1974 Finals.

Palace’s former striker Jordan Ayew returns for his third World Cup Finals with Ghana and will be reunited with former club teammate Dean Henderson during the group stage, when the Black Stars face England.

One more cap for Ayew will see him become Ghana’s most capped player of all-time, as he currently stands level with his brother Jordan.

Meanwhile for UK viewers, former Palace hero Ian Wright will be a key part of ITV’s punditry team throughout the five weeks.

Wright will also be joined by former World Cup winner and Palace Manager from 2021 to 2023, Patrick Vieira.

Former Jamaica international and ex-Eagle Jobi McAnuff will also on punditry duties for the broadcaster.

How can I watch in the UK?

Every single match will be broadcast on either BBC or ITV, as well as their respective streaming platforms. The World Cup Final is broadcast by both.

A full breakdown of the schedule is here.

Match details

Check back on cpfc.co.uk for updates on how our players get on in North America. Here are details of the group games with all times BST.

Owen Goodman – Canada, Group B

Friday, 12th June: Canada v Bosnia (Toronto, 20:00 BST)

Thursday, 18th June: Canada v Qatar (Vancouver, 23:00)

Wednesday, 24th June: Switzerland v Canada (Vancouver, 20:00)

Chadi Riad – Morocco, Group C

Saturday, 13th June: Brazil v Morocco (New York/New Jersey, 23:00 BST)

Friday, 19th June: Scotland v Morocco (Boston, 23:00)

Wednesday, 24th June: Morocco v Haiti (Atlanta, 23:00)

Chris Richards – USA, Group D

Saturday, 13th June: USA v Paraguay (Los Angeles, 02:00 BST)

Friday, 19th June: USA v Australia (Seattle, 20:00)

Friday, 26th June: Türkiye v USA (Los Angeles, 03:00)

Evann Guessand – Ivory Coast, Group E

Monday, 15th June: Ivory Coast v Ecuador (Philadelphia, 00:00 BST)

Saturday, 20th June: Germany v Ivory Coast (Toronto, 21:00)

Thursday, 25th June: Curaçao v Ivory Coast (Philadelphia, 21:00)

Daichi Kamada – Japan, Group F

Sunday, 14th June: Netherlands v Japan (Dallas, 21:00 BST)

Sunday, 21st June: Tunisia v Japan (Monterrey, 05:00)

Friday, 26th June: Japan v Sweden (Dallas, 00:00)

Yéremy Pino – Spain, Group H

Monday, 15th June: Spain v Cape Verde (Atlanta, 17:00 BST)

Sunday, 21st June: Spain v Saudi Arabia (Atlanta, 17:00)

Saturday, 27th June: Uruguay v Spain (Guadalajara, 01:00)

Jørgen Strand Larsen – Norway, Group I

Tuesday, 16th June: Iraq v Norway (Boston, 23:00 BST)

Tuesday, 22rd June: Norway v Senegal (New York/New Jersey, 01:00)

Friday, 26th June: Norway v France (Boston, 20:00)

Maxence Lacroix, Jean-Philippe Mateta – France, Group I

Tuesday, 16th June: France v Senegal (New York/New Jersey, 20:00 BST)

Monday, 22nd June: France v Iraq (Philadelphia, 22:00)

Friday, 26th June: Norway v France (Boston, 20:00)

Ismaïla Sarr – Senegal, Group I

Tuesday, 16th June: France v Senegal (New York/New Jersey, 20:00 BST)

Tuesday, 23rd June: Norway v Senegal (New York/New Jersey, 01:00)

Friday, 26th June: Senegal v Iraq (Toronto, 20:00)

Jefferson Lerma, Daniel Muñoz – Colombia, Group K

Thursday, 18th June: Uzbekistan v Colombia (Mexico City, 03:00 BST)

Wednesday, 24th June: Colombia v DR Congo (Guadalajara, 03:00)

Sunday, 28th June: Colombia v Portugal (Miami, 12:30)

Dean Henderson – England, Group L

Wednesday, 17th June: England v Croatia (Dallas, 21:00 BST)

Tuesday, 23rd June: England v Ghana (Boston, 21:00)

Saturday, 27th June: Panama v England (New York/New Jersey, 22:00)

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